I have been a recreational sailor for many years, with a particular interest in small sailing craft; therefore much of the content of my 'blog' will be related to this subject.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Disposal of Surplus Possessions

Loft junk

More loft junk

Homes with two cars

More homes with many cars

I recently received an email from a sailing friend who said
he was about to start a new boat building project. His plan was to first get
rid of a collection of bicycles, but to keep the most liked one - the most
comfortable and efficient. This will free him to concentrate on his new
project, and to make space for undertaking it. No doubt, he will sell his
unwanted bicycles to help finance the new project.

On the same principle of making space, my wife and I
periodically sort through bits and pieces that accumulate in our loft. We then get
rid of things we think will be of no future use. Likewise, now and again, we rummage through wardrobes
and drawers to select clothing we no longer wear, and to donate it to a local
charity shop.

It is surprising how much junk accumulates over a period of
a year. There’s never enough room to put it. Even our garden shed is bung full
of stuff! A temporary solution has been to stack surplus items behind the shed
and to cover them with tarpaulins. Unfortunately, these particular possessions
belong to one of our daughters, and we are holding them in trust until she can
find room to store them.

Recently, a different daughter set aside time for sorting
out her attic. She found possessions she and her husband had forgotten they
owned. The exercise - and I mean exercise – took her many hours. Repeatedly
climbing up and down a ladder, plus sorting through the contents of boxes to
determine what was worth saving, required much effort, besides effort expended
disposing of them.

The principle behind reducing ones possessions is that it
brings rewards. There is a mistaken belief that the more we own, the richer we are.
The truth is, that the less we own, the richer we are! This would appear to be
a paradox, but let me explain: Possessions are a hindrance, because they
require time, money and effort for maintaining and looking after them. They can
be, and often are, a cause of anxiety and grief - especially if we set our
heart on them and something untoward happens to them. We then look to the
insurance company for compensation, but things that have been irreparably lost
are gone for ever; they cannot be replaced, except perhaps by like for like
items. Artefacts that have been repaired are never the same.

There comes a time in life when it is sensible to shed a
number of possessions, even to downsize considerably. We see this with
pensioners who are on fixed incomes. They no longer have the means for
increasing their possessions, and they see the wisdom of simplifying their
lives. This can be a rewarding experience, for it gives them time for doing
things they could never have done before. They are no longer burdened with unnecessary
possessions, and they are freed of stress and anxiety brought about through ownership.
There’s a double bonus if their siblings have left the nest!